Libretta Stennes

Libretta Stennes litigates complex disputes, representing clients on matters related to environmental and mass tort defense, products liability and commercial disputes for clients in the food, agribusiness, chemical and life science industries. She guides clients through complex issues that arise from chemical exposures from products or environmental releases, particularly under emerging regulation.

Libby often leads large defense teams across multiple jurisdictions in high profile matters. She led one of the earliest Daubert challenges during class certification proceedings and has repeatedly defeated class certification for medical monitoring and property damage cases.

Libby is a creative and passionate advocate in court, with regulators and with community stakeholders. She uses legal skills mixed with environmental training to translate complex science into clear and persuasive messages. Clients value her global perspective and ability to see around corners to offer practical solutions for new product development, market withdrawal, transparency in supply chain and sustainable solutions for energy and environment.

Libby counsels clients on commercial disputes addressing trade secrets, false advertising, breach of contract, covenants not to compete and business torts. She also partners with clients through times of major change management, advising on issues regarding product development, termination of business relationships, market withdrawal and disruptions to supply chains.

Concentrations

• Class actions

• Mass torts

• Environmental

• Civil practice

• eDiscovery

Experience

Representative Matters

• Defeated class certification in multiple federal jurisdictions for medical monitoring and property damage alleged from groundwater contamination and air emissions from industrial sites.°

o PFAS in drinking water in New Jersey & West Virginia;

o Dioxin in house dust and soil in Florida;

o Coal ash impoundment collapse in Tennessee.

• Obtained dismissal of action brought by water facility alleging multiple common law claims for presence of an unregulated compound in the source water for its customers.°

• Obtained summary judgment on behalf of engineering contractor under novel application of governmental immunity in Kingston, TN coal ash disaster.

• Negotiated complex novel settlement for medical monitoring class action including water treatment and creation of expert panels to evaluate potential health impacts to class.°

• Represented clients in negotiations with federal and state environmental agencies to develop practical remediation strategies.°

• Defeated summary judgment in contentious Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) citizens' action suit.°

• Obtained exclusions of multiple expert witnesses on class certification and liability issues.°

• Substantiated hundreds of attorney-client privilege and work product claims.°

°The above representations were handled by Ms. Stennes prior to her joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

Recognition & Leadership

Professional & Community Involvement

• Member, Minnesota Women Lawyers Partner Leadership Council, 2018-Present

o Co-Chair, Development Committee, 2019-2020

• Member, Women in Agribusiness

• Member, Women’s Council on Energy & Environment

o Vice Chair, Membership

Clerkships

• Hon. George W. Mitchell, District of Columbia Superior Court, 1997-1998